In print February 2018 - Vol. 22, #12 the 1st Friday FREE of each month Online at SUindependent.com PLEASE RECYCLE KANAB BALLOONS AND TUNES ROUNDUP SOARING TO GREATER HEIGHTS - See page 3 ALSO THIS ISSUE: RIRIE-WOODBURY DANCE COMPANY PREMIERS KAYENTA ART FOUNDAtion’s februarY ann carlson’s “elizabeth, the dance” in slc BEST EXPO EVER FEATURES SPRING BREAK STAYCATION, HELICOPTER RIDES, AND MORE SEASON: A MONTH OF VARIETY AND TALENT - See Page 4 - See Page 4 - See Page 5 ruffled some feathers in his short time at his publishing power in a way questionable the helm. Which brings me to the point of to some readers? Sure he does. But again, February 2018 Volume 22, Issue 12 this article here today. that’s the risk I as the publisher of The For many years, I’ve felt like the public Independent have always taken. and our readership has defined us. That’s It is often a difficult task for me to to say that we’ve been seen as a champion defend the musings of any writer or editor of many progressive causes to the point with the simple statement of “free speech,” where The Independent has been labeled but that truly is the defining characteristic “the liberal rag” by its detractors and “the of The Independent far more than anything only local publication I read” by many else. “But why?” many ask me. “How can progressives or those in the counterculture you publish and therefore promote ideas EDITORIAL ............................2 DOWNTOWN SECTION .......12 here in sunny southern Utah. In the last 22 that some find offensive, insensitive, biased, EVENTS ................................3 ALBUM REVIEWS ................14 years we’ve published content of virtually or angry?” Because ideas are simply that. HUMOR ...............................8 MOVIE REVIEWS .................15 every political slant you can think of, but Ideas. Concepts. Thoughts. And ideas are because of a perception that we support meant to be challenged. Many cultural and OPINION .............................9 CLIP-N-SAVE SECTION progressive ideas (partly based on the fact social norms of yesteryear are now history, SPECIAL GUIDE ...................10 CALENDAR OF EVENTS ........19 that we’ve covered events and happenings of gone by the wayside through the natural minority voices in the area) on the occasion progression of society through debate, when we publish a conservative viewpoint application, observation, and acceptance ON THE COVER: KANAB BALLOONS AND TUNES ROUNDUP we often get questioned, attacked, and even — the key word in that last sentence to me SOARING TO GREATER HEIGHTS. abandoned by our more liberal readers. being “debate.” But The Independent isn’t a liberal rag. Or We cannot have social evolution SEE STORY ON PG 3. a conservative one. For over two decades without open dialog of controversial ideas we’ve offered an uncensored platform for and topics. To silence Gottfried (or any all, “a clearinghouse of ideas” if you will, a individual interested in voicing their catchline I’ve used since the days when The own ideas) runs absolutely counter to the The Independent ~ SUIndependent.com Independent was known as The Revolution. premise upon which The Independent was Color Country’s Complete Guide To Arts, Music, Entertainment, Culture & More In no way are we abandoning our created. Does that mean we’ll be running interest in covering LGBT+ issues, minority- extreme opinions and letters as right wing The Independent is published the first Friday of each created movements or events, alternative as you’ll see on Breitbart? Yes. And will we month. All copies are distributed free of charge at over STAFF and counterculture topics, or happenings have writers who’ll continue to pen left- three hundred area locations throughout St. George, Publisher: Josh Warburton Cedar City, UT, Mesquite, NV & surrounding areas. Editor: Jason Gottfried — all of those things are areas we are proud wing columns you’ll find on the most liberal To contact us please call: (435) 656-1555 or write to: Graphic Designer: Josh Segovia to offer coverage of and exposure for. But I publications such as Huffington Post? Yes, P.O. Box 3116, St. George UT, 84771. Advertising Director: Cory Smith want to be clear on what The Independent yes we will. Some will say that we are Located downtown St. George at 40 N. 300 E. #103 Office Manager: Nikki Slade is and what it isn’t. just after clicks, appealing to the lowest Editor: [email protected] Distribution Manager: Elliot Lockwood The Independent is for all. All ideas. common denominator of angry extremists For advertising - Publisher Josh Warburton’s email: Editor-at-Large: Dallas Hyland All political and religious persuasions. All on both sides, but please allow me to point [email protected] To submit a calendar event go to SUindependent.com topics, subjects, ideas, and conversations. out that there is a lot of other content that This includes the publishing of many gets far more clicks per the effort such as The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and may not represent the Please recycle. opinion of this publication or its ownership. This publication may not be reproduced opinions that I completely disagree with … drug arrests and car accidents, and we in part or whole by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. and frankly, it always has. In this time of a will never publish those. We also do not © Copyright 2018 The Independent Publishing Company, Inc. very polarized populace, The Independent publish articles with click-baity headlines, stands firmly for freedom of speech. Not only to not deliver the goods. When we to get corny or anything, but I am often post to social networks, we follow a format reminded of the famous quote attributed of running the headline of the story along to Evelyn Beatrice Hall: “I disapprove of with a pull-out quote from the actual what you say, but I will defend to the article. If we were only after clicks, we’d death your right to say it.” At its very certainly be doing it differently. Instead, core, The Independent stands for this we are all about creating dialog. Debate. most important right. It’s fine and dandy Discussions. The challenging and expanding that the Constitution protects us all from of ideas among our readership. If that’s publisher’s Congress making laws that would restrict not for you, that’s totally fine, but please free expression, but it’s pointless if there understand our mission, which currently PERSPECTIVE are no venues to do it. reads “The mission of The Independent is Some have suggested that as editor to connect our communities to local arts, By Josh Warburton Gottfried shouldn’t be allowed to write music, theater, dance, and other creative At the beginning of the year, The opinion pieces, or that he speaks for The endeavors through stories and information. Independent took on a new editor, Jason Independent, and I personally disagree It also serves as a clearinghouse of ideas, a Gottfried. He has been tasked with the very with both of those positions. To silence him marketplace of thought through words and difficult job of basically single-handedly under our universal policy of publishing free expression, those ideals that connect overseeing the editorial content of The all ideas (outside of personal attacks and us all.” Independent. It’s also the first time in hate speech) would truly be censorship, by So in the same way as most folks in about four years that we’ve decided to definition. Is it easy for anyone to say as any movement or group want to be able employee a single editor at the helm rather the editor he represents The Independent? to define themselves, I too am here to than coordinate a managing editor as Sure it does, but editors of many, dare do that. You may not like every piece of well as an assistant editor, which Jason I say most, publications share a similar content The Independent publishes, but previously was (along with at one point policy of allowing for any individual to I hope you’ll appreciate that we are in a being the opinion editor) for the last three voice their own opinions under their own minority of publications willing to take years. This system has its benefits as well name. And even if other publications the risk of offending you for the greater as some drawbacks. It benefits from the don’t — and that’s their prerogative and purpose of challenging your positions with efficiencies of one person and one brain is totally understandable in the interest new ideas or arguments. It doesn’t always working through all the tasks necessary of avoiding the possible confusion of the make us a lot of fans, but that’s not why I to publish volumes of content, which we positions of a publication versus the editor do this. I’ve heard it said by many that of — The Independent has never taken that all places southern Utah needs a voice like do online at suindependent.com daily. position. Every editor we’ve ever had has The Independent. However controversial The drawbacks are as you might expect, published personal opinion pieces as their or incendiary some individual pieces might empowering one individual with both the own ideas while also carrying out their appear, they only work to frame in the power and responsibility of being able duties of acquiring, editing, and publishing space available to all. I hope you’ll consider to publish content at will and without a content. Does this position set us up to be this an invitation to have your own voice second editor to bounce the ideas off of, and criticized? Sure it does, but I’ve always felt heard.